Sexual Maturation of 1 and 2 Year Old Farmed Atlantic Cod – Prevalence and Heritability Estimates

Abstract Text: Sexual maturation status was recorded on fish from 91 families of one year-class of farmed Atlantic cod. At 1 year of age 96 % of the fish were immature (all the females, 92 % of the males) and at 2 year of age 94 % of the fish were mature. Heritability estimates from a linear model, where degree of sexual maturation was defined in four categories, was 0.28 for 1 year olds and 0.14 for 2 year olds. Estimates from a threshold model with maturation as a binary trait (mature/immature) was 0.46 and 0.03 for 1 and 2 year olds, respectively. Heritability of gonadosomatic index for 2 year olds was 0.20. Sexual maturation in cod is a challenging trait to work with in selective breeding and more work is needed in order to get more precise estimates.

Keywords:

Aquaculture

Sexual maturation

Genetic parameters